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The Gene Haas Foundation and ������ partner to increase college readiness. 

When algebra + calculus = falling grades, it could be a formula for academic failure.

Even the brightest Clark County high school students can slip behind in math. By the time they begin college, they often are so ill prepared for higher-level STEM courses they get discouraged and risk losing interest in continuing their education altogether.

Local students aren’t alone: national ACT scores revealed that just 29% of students were math-ready for college in 2024. The statistic caught the attention of Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering Dean Rama Venkat. And, as he does when faced with complex problems, he sought a solution.

His solution will come to fruition this summer with the launch of an enhanced Summer Math Bridge Program, a collaboration between ������’s College of Engineering and the College of Sciences. It is funded by a $100,000 gift from the Gene Haas Foundation, which has championed engineering education at ������ since 2020. 

The goal of the expanded program is to broaden the base of participants and make them math-ready for college at an earlier stage in their education. It will roll out as a pilot program in June to 100 CCSD rising seniors, offering a structured pathway to improve math skills. 

“������ students and grad students will serve as tutors and will be available 24/7 online,” explains Zhijian (ZJ) Wu, one of the program’s architects and director of the ������ Math Learning Center. “Most of the tutors were CCSD students themselves just a handful of years ago. They know the challenges that high schoolers face. They will be able to build rapport and serve as role models and mentors.”

Yingtao Jiang, associate dean for undergraduate programs in the College of Engineering, understands how a lack of math-readiness can hinder students. Last semester, ������ Engineering had its largest incoming class of 690 students, about 90% of whom were CCSD graduates. Of those, only 65% were prepared for the intensive math requirements needed for an engineering degree. While ������ already offers assistance to its students, Jiang understood the gap could be better addressed earlier in the educational pipeline.

“Math readiness is a defining factor in determining student success,” Jiang says. “If we reach students in high school, it will boost their chances of staying in college and receiving their degrees.”

The College of Engineering already boasts a record first-year retention rate of more than 80%. The Summer Math Bridge is expected to increase retention while allowing the college to save resources it now expends on bringing freshmen up to par in math.

As the new program materializes, more opportunities for graduates with engineering and other STEM degrees are emerging in Southern Nevada: last fall, Haas Automation broke ground on a 2.4-million square-foot manufacturing facility in Henderson that is expected to create hundreds of regional jobs.

“The Gene Haas Foundation is totally in sync with ������ in our drive to create a skilled workforce and a stronger Nevada for all of us,” Dean Venkat says. “Its gift and the new Haas manufacturing site bring us all closer to realizing that goal.”